SPS tank keeper.. wats yr husbandry skills

[hamannbmw]

For me... i started SPS not long ago... and i'm rather lazy to change water and so on. i spoke to someone which i deem fit and his advice is : why keep SPS when u dun see the colours ? why not invest in something / time which is less than 10% of yr whole investment and see some colours ? Wats the point of keeping n buying n end up looking at yr brown tank..... without investing or rather study why its brown always.

I agree that SPS is not an easy game... but the above statement is true.... "why spend more than 10K and look at brown sps" , guys please share yr thought here about sps keeping... " those not in sps please refrain on comments as u nv try u nv knows" sorry if i offended anyone.... but please leave the topic clean..................

TY all .. and i'm trying soon.. soon...

[Bandit]

For me there are three main factors to keeping your SPS 'non brown'

1) Water quality, low nitrate, low phosphate, high calcium

2) Water parameter STABILITY... avoid large temp or SG swings

3) Lighting... the more the better, although I have seen some killer SPS with very little light, it is by far the exception rather than the rule.

[blueheaven]

Maybe my article on coral colours can bring some insight

[danano]

Blueheaven, what article? Can you pls be more specific?

I believe hammanbmw is looking for sps keepers to share their experiences and husbandry skills. What's yours? Perhaps you could summarise the key points of your article.

[blueheaven]

Here:

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...pic=24450&st=0&

These are based on info I had abstracted from various articles by various magazines

[tineng]

danano.....you are the guru, care to share your experiences....espsicaly the mircale of how to achieve your type of coloration with T5 tubes....

I just can't seems to get SPS to color up using T5.....maybe some secret receipt you care to share....

[blueheaven]

Maybe the difference between yours and Dan's is the water quality

[scarab]

Maybe the difference between yours and Dan's is the water quality

Maybe you should let danano answer that.

What the thread starter is looking for is husbandry skills borne out of hands on experience, not some research material from some articles posted on the net.

[hamannbmw]

yes, francis u r right. there's lots of "unknown" cause, which i find it very complicating.

eg. 1 changing water

a) how often

how much

c) change from sump ? clean up sump whenever changing water

d) using overnight water ?

e) Is RODI unit a must ? does it really helps ?

f) avoid hands in tank rule ?

g) how frequent on changing filter ?

h) additives a must ? eg. amino acids and other trace element ?

eg. 2 Lights

a) some article mention that though light is important, some keep it with low lights ?

some keep it away from waters at least 12 inch, still achieve good result

blar blar blar...............

[Tigger]

what the problem with brown sps?

[junyong84]

what the problem with brown sps?

he meant colourful sps that end up brown....

[blueheaven]

Maybe you should let danano answer that.

What the thread starter is looking for is husbandry skills borne out of hands on experience, not some research material from some articles posted on the net.

Ok then, just hoping it would be of some help

[danano]

Blueheaven, we're looking for practical insights based on personal experience. Not just theory and research. Hamman has made it pretty clear what he's looking for.

[hamannbmw]

Here:

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...pic=24450&st=0&

These are based on info I had abstracted from various articles by various magazines

Blueheaven, thanks for the article... what Dan said is correct, i'm looking into personal experience and personal husbandry skills...

[ZeRoCoOl]

My 2 cents on my care taking: -

(1) Have a good skimmer and have wetter skimming + control feeding

(2) Correct colour temp MH: best if 6500K + radium.

But i using 250 W 10KK + 150W 20KK

[hamannbmw]

My 2 cents on my care taking: -

(1) Have a good skimmer and have wetter skimming + control feeding

(2) Correct colour temp MH: best if 6500K + radium.

But i using 250 W 10KK + 150W 20KK

I also thought of control feeding but to my surprise some guys here is feeding 2 cubes of mysis a day and with more fishes that i had and yet the sps is colouring well.. as for the skimmer, he's using something like mine.

I already notice more colouring up recently , probably due to control feeding in my tank, i feed 1 cube every 2-3 days. My problem could be due to not changing water weekly and also using overnight tap water. Anyway my RODI unit will be in from states next week. Hope to see more improvement by using this equipment and also regular water changes..

[wa_lanz]

may i ask why wetter skimming is good? been wanting to ask this question for some time already...

[ZeRoCoOl]

I also thought of control feeding but to my surprise some guys here is feeding 2 cubes of mysis a day and with more fishes that i had and yet the sps is colouring well.. as for the skimmer, he's using something like mine.

I already notice more colouring up recently , probably due to control feeding in my tank, i feed 1 cube every 2-3 days. My problem could be due to not changing water weekly and also using overnight tap water. Anyway my RODI unit will be in from states next week. Hope to see more improvement by using this equipment and also regular water changes..

No tank is the same, so what works for him or me, may or may not work for you Just have to try it first, if works then great, if not then have to keep trying other methods

Hmm.. U mention water changes; I do not do water change weekly.... monthly... I last did my water change think abt 3mths back...

I do not use RO/DI water. I just add the salt to my predetermine amt of water to change. Maybe i should try to change water weekly??? But can anyone prove the worth??? cos quite $$ to change water weekly

To: wa_lanz

I prefer wet skimming as easier to get gunk into the collection cup instead of collecting onto the riser neck. I also can clean less often every 4-5 days instead of 2-3 days

[wa_lanz]

ok.. so it is just for better efficiency of the skimmer only right?

[reefer guy]

I also thought of control feeding but to my surprise some guys here is feeding 2 cubes of mysis a day and with more fishes that i had and yet the sps is colouring well.. as for the skimmer, he's using something like mine.

[reefer guy]

I do not use RO/DI water. I just add the salt to my predetermine amt of water to change. Maybe i should try to change water weekly??? But can anyone prove the worth??? cos quite $$ to change water weekly

i am using ro/di unit and i change my water every 2 weeks, aside from which i change GAC and filter wools..... it has work well for me and never regretted such religious maintenance..... i know of senior reefers who has really amazing success and they change weekly... guess its a living testimony for those who wants to reap colourful candies....

[ZeRoCoOl]

i am using ro/di unit and i change my water every 2 weeks, aside from which i change GAC and filter wools..... it has work well for me and never regretted such religious maintenance..... i know of senior reefers who has really amazing success and they change weekly... guess its a living testimony for those who wants to reap colourful candies....

Hope U don't mind i chip into your thread hamannbmw

May i know what's the use of filter wool???

===> To catch dirt? so using a filter sock on the overflow serves the same purpose

Do U use Rowa or similar phophate removal agent?

[hamannbmw]

i use filter wool to trap dirt at the overflow compartment. I had stop using rowas for about 2 months.. my salifert PO4 test kits shows 0ppm

oops yr Q is for reeferguy , I dun think he uses rowas

[hamannbmw]

i am using ro/di unit and i change my water every 2 weeks, aside from which i change GAC and filter wools..... it has work well for me and never regretted such religious maintenance..... i know of senior reefers who has really amazing success and they change weekly... guess its a living testimony for those who wants to reap colourful candies....

[jd_n]

yes, francis u r right. there's lots of "unknown" cause, which i find it very complicating.

eg. 1 changing water

a) how often

how much

c) change from sump ? clean up sump whenever changing water

d) using overnight water ?

e) Is RODI unit a must ? does it really helps ?

f) avoid hands in tank rule ?

g) how frequent on changing filter ?

h) additives a must ? eg. amino acids and other trace element ?

eg. 2 Lights

a) some article mention that though light is important, some keep it with low lights ?

some keep it away from waters at least 12 inch, still achieve good result

blar blar blar...............

Regardin water changes

25-30% water change once a mth.

Usin juz tap water with anti chorine, anti this anti tat....bla bla + salt.

Daily top up using "same as the above minus the salt"

Change new wool once a wk.

Do nt supplement trace element coz they r replenish durin water change.

Do dose iodide once a wk.

I nvr rescape my sps....only time i touch them is when i add in new colonies. I will look for "holes" then do abit of shuffin ard tat region for the new colony.

The less u touch them the happier they r.

Rowa change every 2mths

Check parameters every mth.

Lightin...

bulb change every 10mth.

MH is 8inch frm the highest sps.

There r specimen tat require more lightin than another...so knwin wat u bought will help in ur arrangement of top mid and bottom.

Feedin.

Feed GPs every day.

I do hav a refugium tat r seperated frm my sump (both r link by tubes, those who hav seen it will knw wat i meant ) where i kept macroalgae. They r under 150W 24/7. Trim occassionally when overgrown.

The rest r pretty automatic.....CR, skimmer.....etc